Take Me On A Journey

image source - Lisa Barbero on Etsy

A sprinkle of sunshine on a chilly day has turned my thoughts to adventures in the warmer summer months.  Packing a bag, flying away, having an adventure.  With the children getting older plans to travel on our own seem less of a distant horizon.  Yet family adventures are still to be had and I hope for many more years to come, even when our hair is a little greyer, our bones a little creakier, adventures as a family will hopefully still be sought.  

With a hunger for culture, offering sights, scents and tastes to expand my mind and probably my middle, I want to take a trip to many cities.  But tiny islands can captivate our minds and senses in similar ways, tasting traditional recipes created in tavernas passed down through generations, overlooking bays with boats bobbing in a sparkling sea. Italy has always held a place in my heart, feeding my mind, body and soul. Tired feet, having spent days walking along narrow streets, navigating busy roads in cities can quickly be rejuvenated on sandy beaches, whilst the children can head out to sea in toppers, catching the breeze in their sails, returning to shore with sun kissed skin and salt in their hair.

So today as I continue in earnest with my decluttering my thoughts will be taking me off an adventure on cobbled streets, eating sundried tomatoes, olives and sipping an aromatic espresso or chianti in the warm Italian sunshine. Where will your next adventure be taking you?

Until next time, take care.

Zoe 

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This post is my entry for the #MarkWarnerMum blogger competition, in the creative writer category. 

A Once In A Lifetime Opportunity

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So a few weeks ago we had an email from the boys school, proposing a trip to Everest Base Camp. Wow, I thought, what an adventure that would be.  I didn't for one minute think about the huge cost involved, but just saw the opportunity for them to have an adventure of a lifetime.  They could pack up their backpacks, head up a mountain, be the explorers they loved to pretend to be before school got in the way of their childish imaginations.  I encouraged ideas of the trip, wanting them to be able to do something that they wanted. 

But now reality has set in. The cost is huge, well for us anyway.  In all honesty the cost for what the package involves is reasonable, yet it is beyond our budget.  So we now need to decide, to commit to a decision. We could say yes and aim to raise the money through various fundraising activities or we could say wait, plan a trip after you've graduated from uni, when you have a job.  They are both looking at studying geosciences, so undoubtedly will be heading off to exciting careers up mountains or volcanoes.

Trips like these are physically and mentally tough, would the boys be mature enough to cope? What if something went wrong? What if we had paid all of that money and they got altitude sickness and didn't even make it to base camp? So many what ifs to be considered.  

Adventures can be had at any time in our lives and maybe, in all honesty, they would be better to wait until they are a bit older, earning a living and fund such a trip themselves.  Sometimes opportunities need to be passed by, to be postponed.  Maybe this is one of those times that waiting will be of benefit and actually lead to more adventures.  

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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